WTAW - Interviews

This podcast contains comments from the April 14, 2026 Bryan city council meeting.

The Bryan city council selects an architect for the city's future animal center.

The council unanimously chose a Houston firm recommended by special projects director Frank Clark and animal center supervisor Ashley Bishop.

Click HERE to read and download background information about the architect that was provided by the city of Bryan.

Click HERE to read and download background information from the city of Bryan.

Click HERE to read and download the architect's agreement.

The $525,000 architect's contract is part of the $7.4 million dollar project budget for the new facility on Martin Luther King, Jr. Street west of the freeway.

This will replace the existing animal center building on Finfeather Road that is 45 years old.

Click HERE to read and download presentation materials shown at the April 14, 2026 Bryan city council meeting.

In addition to the project budget approved by the council, the city has received private donations of $400,000 that will go towards furnishing and equipping the new center. The council was told that donations are still being accepted.

This podcast contains comments from the April 21, 2026 College Station ISD school board meeting.

April's meeting of the College Station ISD school board included two presentations related to developing the budget for the 2026-2027 school year.

The first presentation was from CSISD's budget committee.

Click HERE to read and download presentation materials from CSISD's budget committee.

The second presentation was from CSISD's chief financial officer.

Click HERE to read and download budget presentation materials from CSISD's chief financial officer.

Part of CFO Heather Wilson's report was about proposed staffing. Board members were told administrators are looking at reducing 11 elementary teaching positions, one teaching position at middle and high schools, and a net zero at intermediate schools.

Wilson also said special education teachers now at the central office will return to campuses.And she reminded the CSISD board earlier this year approved adding at the expanded career and technical center...three teachers, one nurse, and one custodian.

Wilson told board members to expect taking action in the May regular meeting on employee compensation for next year. Board member Mike Martindale, a retired CSISD superintendent who is dealing with his first budget as a board member, said board members will have to decide "whether a healthy fund balance is important to us or retaining and recruiting quality people with our students is more important", so "it's obvious that we have a chore before us in the next month or two."

This podcast contains comments from the April 14, 2026 Bryan city council meeting.

The Bryan city council unanimously appoints the presiding judge of municipal court to a second term. 

Five of the six council members attending the April 14th meeting thanked Tiffany Thomas for the job she is doing.

Thomas served as city prosecutor for eight years before becoming presiding judge in 2024.

This podcast includes comments from the April 14, 2026 Bryan city council meeting.

The Bryan city council approves several street projects at its April 14th meeting that includes more changes are coming to streets in and around Bryan's Midtown Park.

Unanimous votes included changing the name of Bomber Drive to Midtown Park Boulevard, which will result in one street name for the route connecting West Villa Maria to Carson.

Click HERE to read and download background information from the city of Bryan about changing the name of Bomber Drive to Midtown Park Boulevard.

The council also awarded a $725,000 dollar contract to design the rebuilding of the former Bomber Drive along with Williamson Drive and West Carson. In addition to new streets, what is budgeted as a $10 million dollar project will also replace open ditches with curbs, gutters and underground storm sewers, and there will be new water and sewer lines.

Click HERE to read and download background information from the city of Bryan about the street and infrastructure project in the neighborhood on the north side of Midtown Park.

Click HERE to read and download a city of Bryan map showing the location of the Midtown Park area street and infrastructure project.

The council amended the contract to design rebuilding South College between Carson and Dodge to extend the design along South College between Dodge to East 29th.

Click HERE to read and download presentation materials from the city of Bryan about extending the design to rebuild South College between Carson and East 29th.

And without discussion, the council approved spending $300,000 dollars to buy land they are acquiring though condemnation as part of extending Grosebeck Street to Texas Avenue. The property is on the east side of Texas at 32nd Street.

Click HERE to read and download background information about the city buying land associated with the Groesbeck Street extension.

Click HERE to read and download a map from the city of Bryan showing the location of the Groesbeck Street extension.

United Way of the Brazos Valley president Lizett Hawkins and two representatives of UWBV partner agency St. Vincent De Paul Society of Bryan/College Station, board president Bob Chronister and treasurer Pat Schoenemann, visit with WTAW's Bill Oliver on April 20, 2026.

Kathy Sanderson of the Bryan/College Station Salvation Army visits with Will Welch on WTAW's The Infomaniacs about the organization's first Family Fun Event Saturday, April 25, from 11 a.m. until 1 p.m. at their headquarters in Bryan at 2506 Cavitt Avenue.

This podcast is a visit with Chris Lamb of the Bryan fire department and WTAW's Bill Oliver.

The Bryan fire department officially adds two new fire engines to the department.

BFD's Chris Lamb said following a ceremonial push-in event that the custom built engines provide more protection for firefighters.

Lamb also said the engines were built ahead of a nationwide delay that not only extends the time to acquire the engines but has increased the cost.

One of the new engines is at station two north of Villa Maria and west of Texas and the other is at station three on Briarcrest across the street from the Brazos Center.

The engines that are being replaced will now be used as reserve units.

The Bryan city council approved the purchase in July 2024 at a cost of $1.5 million dollars each.

Click HERE to read and download background information about the purchase at the July 9, 2024 city council meeting.

Click HERE to read and download the proposal that was approved at the July 9, 2024 Bryan city council meeting.

News release from the Bryan fire department:

While fire departments across the country are facing years-long delays for critical equipment, the Bryan Fire Department is moving forward—placing two new front-line fire engines into service next week.

The deployment is a direct result of planning and strategic investment, positioning Bryan ahead of a national shortage impacting emergency response agencies nationwide.

Across the U.S., fire departments are experiencing delivery delays that have stretched from 12–18 months to as long as three to five years, along with significant cost increases. 

The issue has drawn national attention, including an investigation by the Texas Attorney General into potential anticompetitive practices among fire truck manufacturers tied to pricing and supply concerns. Additional lawsuits nationwide allege restricted supply has further strained public safety resources.

Bryan has avoided these extraordinary delays by acting early—through close coordination with city leadership and clear communication on long-term operational needs. 

The city has:

● Secured approval and build slots ahead of national backlogs
● Maintained sufficient reserve fire engines, reducing gaps in coverage, with the addition of the two new engines enhancing reserve engine availability
● Strengthened regional support and redundancy through partnerships

“While departments across the country are facing delays and uncertainty, Bryan has built a system that better ensures we are ready when our community needs us,” said Fire Chief Richard Giusti. “This preparedness is about reliability, readiness, and protecting the people we serve.”

The two new Spartan Metro Star engines are designed for both fire suppression and advanced medical response, featuring:

● Seating for up to five firefighters (standard: four)
● 500-gallon water tank and 2000 GPM pump

This podcast contains comments from the April 14, 2029 Bryan city council meeting.

More than $1.5 million dollars in federal money will be spent to build a shared use path along East 29th Street between Carter Creek Parkway and Autumn Circle.

The Bryan city council was told at this week's meeting (April 14) from public works director Jayson Barfknecht said the local metropolitan planning organization awarded the federal money.

Barfknecht said the project, which will be built along the KBTX side of East 29th, will be administered by the Texas Department of Transportation.

The city's share of the project cost is $380,750 dollars plus any cost overruns.

Click HERE to read and download background information.

Click HERE to read and download presentation materials.

Click HERE to read and download a resolution approved by the Bryan city council.

Click HERE to read and download the agreement between the Bryan city council and the Texas Department of Transportation.

Councilman James Edge, who regularly drives this section of East 29th, welcomed the improvements that will benefit those who have either walk in the street or on a dirt path.

Construction will start by the end of March 2027.

This podcast is a visit with Bryan police officer Stacey Dowling and WTAW's Bill Oliver.

A Bryan police officer who was recognized by the 100 Club of Houston for lifesaving efforts is again holding an ice hockey tournament to benefit the organization that provides financial assistance for families of fallen first responders.

Officer Stacey Dowling says team registration and sponsorship opportunities are taking place for the annual "Backing the Blue" tournament at Spirit Ice Arena in College Station from June 26 through the 28th.

Dowling tells WTAW News that the local interest in recreational hockey has increased in the two months since the United States won the gold medal in hockey at the Winter Olympics.

You can e-mail Dowling more information about the tournament at [email protected].

College Station city councilwoman Melissa McIlhaney visits with WTAW’s Scott DeLucia on The Infomaniacs on Friday, April 17, 2026. Topics include housing developments inside and outside city limits, the status of the city owned former Macy's building and other city owned real estate, fire department union activity, developing the fiscal year 2027 budget, and the council's relationships with state lawmakers.